Caleb Witty, 17, was walking home from a street festival with his younger sister
Caleb Alexander Witty/Facebook
Caleb Witty
More than a decade after an Illinois teen was shot dead during a robbery, police say they have finally caught the killers.
Caleb Witty, 17, was walking home from a street festival with his 14-year-old sister on Aug. 4, 2011, when two people tried to rob the two teens, Decatur police said in a news release. While trying to protect his younger sister, Caleb was shot in the arm and chest, killing him, according to police.
Police announced June 5 that two men, Michael I. Wallace, 34, and Bobby Gipson, 34, have been charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder in connection with the 2011 shooting.
“These arrests mark a crucial step toward justice for Caleb Witty and hopefully bring some measure of comfort to his family and friends who have endured years of uncertainty and grief,” the department said in the news release. “Caleb Witty was a young man just trying to enjoy an evening with his sister at the Decatur Celebration. And he was killed for nothing. Words cannot even describe the senselessness of this crime. His untimely death was a profound loss that left a deep void in the hearts of those who knew him.”
Police did not specify what led to Wallace and Gipson’s arrests.
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“Progress in this case is the result of tireless efforts by our dedicated law enforcement team, significant assistance from the Attorney General’s Office, cooperation with state and federal agencies, and invaluable assistance from the community,” the department said.
Jail records show Wallace is in custody in Illinois, while Gipson awaits extradition from Tennessee.
It was not immediately clear if either entered a plea.
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